


The Dark Side of the Moon

by Tinywriterfairy



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Witchcraft, Ambiguous Relationships, Angst with a Happy Ending, Blood, Coming of Age, Dark Magic, Demons, Falling In Love, Familiars, Fluff, Halloween, Implied Sexual Content, M/M, Mark Lee (NCT) is Whipped, Minor Character Death, Murder, Murder Mystery, Nakamoto Yuta is Whipped, Rituals, Sexual Tension, Softer than the tags make it appear, Witches
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-01
Updated: 2020-11-01
Packaged: 2021-03-09 03:22:03
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 13,459
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27257875
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tinywriterfairy/pseuds/Tinywriterfairy
Summary: The night was brisk and heavy as Mark made his way into the forest at the edge of the coven’s property. He could practically taste the magic in the air. The veil had been thin all day. It practically vanished at sunset. With the barriers between worlds hazy, nearly nonexistent, he should be able to work spells beyond what any of his teachers would have allowed. Which made the forest the perfect site for what he was planning.Prompt #009
Relationships: Mark Lee/Nakamoto Yuta
Comments: 4
Kudos: 23
Collections: NCT Halloween Fest Round 1





	The Dark Side of the Moon

**Author's Note:**

> HAPPY HALLOWEEN have some yumark!! I've been obsessed with this prompt ever since I saw it in the archive and I'm so glad to finally get to post it. 
> 
> About the tags. The "softer than the tags make it appear" is absolutely true, but this fic does deal with demons and demonic rituals and everything that goes along with that, so tread carefully if those things bother you. Each chapter is meant to be a relatively complete arc on its own, so the overall tags cover everything but I'll tag anything really important in the notes for each chapter. For chapter 1, you only have to worry about the witches and demons and summoning of demons. Enjoy~

Mark shoved another stack of books aside. His parents had left him in the family library with a reading list and instructions not to come out until dinner. Mark let his head rest on the wood table, closing his eyes. The books had been read, notes had been taken, and if Mark were at all interested in following in his parents’ footsteps, he would have called it a very productive study session. Yet if one of them came through the door behind him, they would probably scold him for having stopped working. He closed his eyes against the sunset peeking in through the nearest window. Dinner wasn’t for another hour. Maybe there was still something in the library he would find interesting?

Mark stood, leaving the ‘proper’ books behind him as he made his way to the back of the library. His parents both came from a long line of ‘light’ witches, but they and their parents had all collected whatever magical texts they could find, even if some were darker. Mark had asked about it once. His father said they couldn’t risk darker texts falling into the hands of a dark witch, a black witch. As though the two were one and the same. Mark let his fingers trail over the spines of the books his parents had forbidden him to look at. Legitimate texts on darker magics mixed indiscriminately with full black magic texts. Ten liked to beg Mark for an invite to his parents’ library, as though Mark could actually give it without his mother singeing his ears off. She didn’t like that he spoke to Ten at all, let alone allowed him in the house. But, Ten would explain the texts Mark had seen the few times he’d made it back here. He paused at a thick tome— _Curses for the Shadow-Minded._ Curses were fascinating, but they couldn’t be his goal. Not tonight, at least.

He slipped into the furthest corner from the door, where his parents refused to even put a lamp. Mark muttered a simple light spell and waited. Slowly, magic trickled out of his palm until the small orb hovered above his hand, glowing softly. It illuminated the texts his parents still thought he didn’t know existed. Mark scanned the shelf. He wasn’t even sure what he was looking for, but there had to be something. He couldn’t just spend the rest of his life pretending to be a light witch without even trying to change it. The black magic texts were easily identifiable, no matter what his parents thought—they’d locked the worst ones on the top shelf, anyway.

There, at the end of the shelf at eye-level. _Creatures Mysterious and Darke._ He touched the spine. Something like an electric shock ran up his hand. This was old, older than any other text he’d come across in the library. If for no other reason, it was worth a look. Mark pulled it off the shelf. Sitting against the wall, he flipped through it.

The book turned out to be instructions for summoning and binding various creatures, from the innocuous to the frightening. Including demons. Mark straightened. Maybe the idea of summoning a demon to help him shouldn’t be exciting, but he couldn’t help the rush that shot through his veins. The winter solstice was only a few months away. He needed a familiar before the solstice initiation. All Hallow’s Eve was tomorrow night. He would have his best chance when the veil between worlds thinned. Mark closed the book and vanished his light. It was simple enough to use an illusion to make the grimoire look like another of the books in his stack. It was simpler still to carry out several of the books when he was called for dinner and tell his parents he wanted to study them further at his house. Mark’s parents hadn’t come to his apartment since they dropped off his luggage on the day he moved in.

Mark left the other books on the table by his door. The illusion dropped from the grimoire as he carried it into his room and locked the door—just in case. 

The table of contents helpfully pointed him to the back of the book. A few of the spells were too specific for his needs. Mark didn’t need someone to curse any newborns, he needed advice. Finally, on the last page of the book he found what looked like a generic summoning. It seemed to be for a specific demon. Mark ran his fingers over the symbol for the name. He wished he could read it properly. At least even demonic summonings followed the same rules he’d always learned.

Mark bookmarked the spell and set the book safely in the drawer of his bedside table. He’d had that spelled against intruders for years. Mark dragged himself back into the living room no matter how much he wanted to stare at the spell. He still had a chemistry problem set to finish, and Donghyuck would never let him hear the end of it if he didn’t turn it in on time even if Donghyuck barely knew what chemistry was.

***

The night was brisk and heavy as Mark made his way into the forest at the edge of the coven’s property. He almost thought he caught a howl in the distance, but any werewolves in the area would know better than to run in the coven’s woods on All Hallow. Mark could practically taste the magic in the air. The veil had been thin all day. It practically vanished at sunset. With the barriers between worlds hazy, nearly nonexistent, he should be able to work spells beyond what any of his teachers would have allowed. Which made the forest the perfect site for what he was planning.

Mark chose his spot carefully, a clearing far from his parents’ house that few people ever came across. No flower had ever been picked, no grass disturbed, except for the several times Mark had escaped here. Mark set the grimoire and his supplies down and got to work. His fingertips tingled as he drew out the jagged pentagram in the earth. Some of the symbols were familiar, but several weren’t, including the name of the demon he intended to summon. Mark took extra care with those.

When he finished, Mark sat at the edge of the array. He set aside his other tools and pricked his index finger with the tip of his athame. His parents would kill him if they knew what he was doing, but especially if they found out he’d spilled blood with one of their ‘sacred tools’ for it. Mark suppressed a grin. He let a few drops of blood fall onto the demon’s name.

“Come forth,” he intoned carefully. “I would make a deal with you.”

The magic rushed through him and into the circle before he could prepare for it. Liquid fire heated his blood, much more intense than any light spell he’d ever tried. It left him dizzy. The array lit up, the space filling with dark smoke. Mark stuck his finger in his mouth to catch any remaining blood.

When the smoke cleared, a figure stood in the center of the pentagram. Mark couldn’t quite pinpoint the era his clothes came from, but he passed as a modern man in a black shirt and pants. His hair—a mane, really—fell past his shoulders, half blood-red and half bone-white. When he turned to face Mark, Mark had to suppress a shiver. His eyes were like a cat’s, deep green with vertical slit pupils. Even eerier was that, were it not for the hair and the eyes, he would have looked like nothing more than a very, very handsome college student. 

He smirked. “See something you like, little witch?”

That just wasn’t fair. Mark tried to fight off the blush. “Well, I did summon you,” he managed. “So of course I’m glad to see you.”

“Aren’t you cute.” He cocked his head. “So, what am I doing here, little witch?”

“I do have a name, you know.”

This time, the smile had teeth. “What’s that, then?”

“Mark Lee.” Mark fidgeted. Demons weren’t like the fae in stories, who shouldn’t be given one’s true name—though some of those did exist—but he had always been told it still wasn’t a good idea to give a demon too much information. “What’s yours? I copied the symbol out, but I’ve never been taught that script.”

The demon blinked. “You summoned me here without knowing who I am?”

Mark just shrugged. How was he supposed to explain—well, his entire life?

“You can call me Yuta.”

“Is that your name?”

“Guess you’ll never know.” Yuta grinned. “So, Mark, what am I doing here?”

Mark pulled up a few pieces of grass. “Something’s gotta give and I figured a demon would know enough about magic to help me—no one else seems to want to try.”

“What does that even mean? No, wait, this is bothering me.” Yuta sat, now close to eye level with Mark. “Okay. What does that even mean?”

Wind rustled through the trees. Mark shivered. “My parents are the leaders of our coven.” Mark waved in the direction of the houses. “They’re both light witches, and they expect me to be one, too. Supposedly our families have always been light witches and anything else would be a disgrace to our entire line. Which I don’t think is completely true but there’s no one else I can really ask.”

Yuta raised an eyebrow. “You summoned a demon to talk about genealogy?”

“No!” Mark whined. “Let me finish. I have no affinity for light magic. I’ve been training in it all my life, and I hate it. It’s boring and it doesn’t feel right, no matter how much I study it.” He bit the inside of his cheek. Had he ever actually said this out loud before? “I’m a dark witch. I’m supposed to be a dark witch. I see them working and I know I could do the same things so easily. I’m going through the winter initiation in two months and if I have to do it as a light witch it will kill something in me.” His breath came a little more ragged as he said it. Some piece of the tension he’d carried around for years lifted, just talking about it.

“So what do you want me to do about it?” Yuta leaned back on his hands. “I can’t affect your initiation rituals, not without stirring up a lot of trouble that would be fun for me and probably very bad for you.” He looked around. “You don’t have a familiar yet either, do you?”

Mark shook his head. “I’m not sure what I had in mind. I just know—none of the dark witches will teach me anything real because they don’t want to get in trouble with my parents. You know magic, you are magic. I just—I need to do something.”

Yuta hummed. “That’s true. You want me to teach you magic, then? I could try, though I’m not and never have been a witch. You might have more luck talking your dark witches around after your initiation.”

Should a demon be this accommodating? “It’ll be too late then.” Mark ran a hand through his hair. “Like you said, I still need a familiar—wait.”

“What?”

Mark held up a hand. “I need a familiar.”

“Yes, you said that.”

“No, I—could you give me a second to think?”

Yuta raised both eyebrows and waved a hand sarcastically.

The familiar dilemma had been one for a long time. His parents hadn’t said much, since it was such a personal decision, but there was an expectation that he would find an air or water spirit like the birds who always rode on his parents’ shoulders. Mark didn’t know what kind of familiars the dark witches had, really—they liked him, but he wasn’t one of their sub-coven. Mark drummed his fingers on his knee.

But a familiar could be any magical creature, couldn’t it? As long as both parties were willing and had magic to share, a witch could bond with almost anyone. How many witches had bound demons before?

Mark went cold, then began to burn. Yuta still sat leaning on his hands, wiggling one foot impatiently. He raised his eyebrows again when Mark looked at him properly.

“Willing to speak now?”

“Can a demon be a familiar?” Mark shifted out of his tailor’s seat to kneel, closer to Yuta’s eye level. “Could I bind you as my familiar, to teach and support me in the study of dark magic?” Not quite the ritual words, but Yuta had never been a witch, so maybe he wouldn’t notice.

Yuta’s jaw dropped. “You—” he laughed. “You really are full of surprises, aren’t you, little witch? Do you know what you’re asking? This is very short notice of you.”

“I do. Is it possible?”

Yuta’s pupils dilated, black almost overtaking the green. “Are you very sure you don’t want time to think about it?”

“I’m sure.” Mark drew himself up. “I’m a dark witch, no matter what my parents say. You’re powerful, or you wouldn’t have been in the grimoire I found. We’re compatible, or it wouldn’t have been so easy for me to summon you.” He hadn’t even thought about that part before, but it was true. “A year and a day as a trial. If we don’t suit, I’ll still be established and more experienced by then and can find someone else to work with; if we do, then …” he gestured vaguely. “It’s doable, right?” Mark tried to keep himself from wriggling as he thought more about it. “I just need to learn enough dark magic before the solstice that I can make a good showing at the ritual and get enough experience in the months after that I can judge for myself.”

Yuta cocked his head. “You have a point there. You’re correct, demons make very powerful familiars for witches—when you can get one you can trust. It doesn’t happen much anymore.” He sighed almost wistfully. “There aren’t many people with enough power or nerve to try it. It’s a good deal, though.”

“Does that mean you’ll do it?” Mark gripped his knees so he wouldn’t vibrate too hard. The clearing felt unnaturally quiet while he waited.

Yuta shifted to put his forearms on his knees. “You understand you’re inviting a demon into your life, into your home, for a year, and possibly more? You’re willing to put yourself in the most vulnerable position a witch can be in, with a demon?”

Mark blinked. “Aren’t you supposed to be arguing the opposite? Anyway,” he continued before Yuta even opened his mouth, “I know what I’m doing. I get it’s a vulnerable position to be in, but you have an incentive not to harm me, don’t you? You get power from a familiar contract just like I do—why else would anyone agree to do it? If you don’t want it, say no, but I understand what I’m asking you to do.”

Yuta stared at him for a long while. Mark stared back. The unnatural quiet remained. Eventually, he grinned and sat back. “Alright. A year and a day. I’ll—what was it you said?—I’ll teach and support you in the study of dark magic, and we’ll see how we do. Write up the contract.”

Mark scrambled for his bag. He hadn’t come here to do this, but a familiar contract didn’t require anything more than a little blood on the paper it was written on. And he’d been drilled in the right phrases since he was old enough to understand why all the witches around him seemed to be with another person or animal all the time. It felt like no time at all to write them, even working carefully to make everything pretty and legible. Mark signed it, pricking his finger in the same place to leave his fingerprint next to his name. He passed the sheet and pen into the pentagram for Yuta to sign.

It took only one word to set the paper burning, binding them with gold fire and the strangest swooping sensation in Mark’s gut. If Yuta felt any different, he didn’t show it. He merely grinned and stepped to the edge of the pentagram. “Well, witchling? Are you going to let me out?”

Mark rolled his eyes. If his gut clenched for a second after, no one needed to know. “I’m working on it.” He scuffed out the nearest line of the pentagram. He would have to cover the entire thing before they left, but disrupting it just a little would allow Yuta out.

Yuta prowled out, stopping just in front of Mark. “Did you know we’re still only half-bound, witchling?”

“What?” Mark frowned. “And why do you keep calling me that?”

“Oh, don’t worry, I’ll stop once you’re a real witch.” Yuta edged closer, which Mark hadn’t thought was possible. He should have been too far away for Mark to catch his body heat, but warmth wafted over anyway. “We finished your witch contract, but you’re making a deal with a demon, witchling. I’ll give you the same terms you gave me, since it’s such a good deal,” he grinned. “Where do you want your mark?”

“My what?” Mark edged closer.

Yuta raised an eyebrow. A little breeze slipped through the negligible space between them. “Did you do any research before summoning me? A demonic deal requires a mark placed somewhere on the summoner’s body. It signifies that you’ve dealt with me, and will keep other demons or dark creatures from getting too close to you.” His grin was sharp. “They’ll smell the magic on you, but you’re my prey—in theory—and they’ll know better than to try to steal you once they notice it.” He shrugged. “After a year and a day, you’re on your own. Where do you want it?”

“What does it look like?”

Yuta smirked. “You’ll have to wait and see.”

That was not encouraging. “The back of my neck,” he decided eventually. “If it’s not huge, my hair and collar should be enough to cover it, and I can always tell people I got a tattoo.” He’d always wanted one of those, too, even if—because?—his parents would never allow it.

“Perfect.” Yuta wrapped a hand around his neck, fingers slipping below Mark’s collar. “Let’s do it then.” Yuta’s fingers gleamed. Mark’s skin tingled. Yuta yanked him forward into a deep kiss. He’d never been kissed before, but if he would have guessed how a demon would kiss, it wouldn’t have been like this. Yuta’s lips were soft, almost gentle on his for all he pressed forward. Mark melted into it. Fire raced through him again. Was that magic? Mark pressed closer; Yuta wrapped his free arm around him. He hadn’t said what kind of demon he was. Was he an incubus? Was this feeding? Maybe that’s what he’d meant by ‘terms.’ 

Well. Even if it was, it felt so nice Mark couldn’t bring himself to care. He wrapped his arms around Yuta’s shoulders and held on until Yuta pulled away. The back of Mark’s neck tingled almost as much as his mouth. Was kissing always like that? It couldn’t be. He didn’t feel much different, otherwise.

Yuta appeared to be waiting for him to say something.

“Is that it, then?”

“Unless you want something more.” Yuta stepped back, putting more of the pentagram between them. “By your magic and mine, we are bound for a year and a day. I will do my best to help you, if you take care of me.”

Mark nodded. “Let me clean this up and we can go, then.” It didn’t take much, since he’d drawn the pentagram and attendant circles into the forest dirt. Yuta even helped him churn the earth until it looked like something had been planted rather than like a demonic ritual had taken place. Mark was brushing his hands clean when it occurred to him that he’d forgotten something important. 

“Oh, shit.”

“The witchling curses, too?” Yuta sat back on his heels. “I am shocked.”

Mark waved his hands. “I don’t do it around my parents—that’s not the point. I can’t take you back in this form. Everyone will know what you are immediately.”

“So?” Yuta raised his eyebrows.

Mark swallowed. “If anyone figures out what I’m doing before the initiation, I’m pretty much screwed. They’ll do everything they can to stop me. I don’t think they can break us apart, but they’ll damn well try. We need to be very sneaky until the initiation ceremony, which cannot be interfered with—if we come out there, no one can stop us or claim we were tricked or tampered with.” He brought his hands together. “So. I need you to make it harder to identify what you are, just until the winter solstice.”

Yuta narrowed his eyes. “What exactly are you suggesting?”

Mark bit his lip. “The animal form written into a familiar contract is meant to keep humans from noticing us, but in the same way, it has the side effect of making it harder for witches to identify what another’s familiar is. It wouldn’t have to be the whole time,” Mark rushes to add, holding out a hand. “Just when other people are around, and just until the solstice. After that, it doesn’t matter. Some of my friends’ familiars prefer their animal form—” He could count on one hand the times he’d seen Sicheng in human shape rather than the white cat who liked to curl in Renjun’s lap, “but my friend Donghyuck almost never uses his, and he’s been with Johnny for almost five years now. I just need help hiding you from my parents or others who would stop me until the solstice.”

“You said that already.” Yuta stood. “Do I get to pick?”

“Huh?”

“The animal form. Do I get to choose what form I’ll take?”

“Oh, yes.” Mark nodded. “Though, unless shapeshifting is a talent of yours, you only get to choose once. Whatever animal form you take now will be presumed to be it.”

Yuta grinned. For a demon, he really did do that a lot. “That’s fine, I know exactly what I want.”

The air shimmered around Yuta. Mark had seen shifts before, but never like this. He’d never felt it—Yuta’s magic tugged at him very gently, settling in just under his heart as the shimmer warped into something Mark couldn’t parse. When it cleared, the magic tugging at Mark also vanished. A large black panther stood in the clearing, blinking at him with Yuta’s green eyes.

“Oh,” Mark breathed. “Beautiful.” He really was, lithe and sleek, coming up to Mark’s hip without even stretching.

Yuta preened.

“Can I—is it okay if I touch you?” he put out a hand but didn’t try to approach. He might know Yuta better than a strange animal in the forest, but he wasn’t stupid enough to think they knew each other well. What if Yuta didn’t like to be touched?

Yuta butted his head into Mark’s hand. Mark couldn’t help but smile. He didn’t know how long Yuta let him sit there, petting. It felt like time slid away as he learned how Yuta liked his ears scratched. Eventually, though, he had to get up. Mark grabbed his bag before he led Yuta from the forest. He had never been so thankful that he’d moved out of his parents’ house at eighteen. More than a year later, they wouldn’t expect to see him for several days after the All Hallows meet. The road to his apartment was empty, too, with many witches still out celebrating. No magic actually ran through his veins as they walked, but it felt that way, prowling down the street with a panther at his side.

They didn’t encounter anyone in the lobby, so Mark hurried Yuta up to his apartment on the second floor. He held the door open for Yuta. A sticky note fell off the inside of his door. Mark caught it before it could hit Yuta’s back; Jaemin’s spiky handwriting almost jumped off the page at him— _Where’d you go? We came back to look for you but you weren’t here. I took your snacks. Woo says hi! P.S. Your locks need changing, dumbass, I saw your parents on the street (Donghyuck)_ —Mark rolled his eyes. He could deal with his friends tomorrow.

Mark locked the door. “It should be safe now.” When he turned back, Yuta stood in human form (sort of) in the center of the living room, peering around. “I live here alone, so unless we get unexpected guests you can pretty much do whatever you want in here. Within reason.”

“Within reason?” Yuta looked over his shoulder. “Does that mean no hellfire?”

“No hellfire!” Mark put down his bag. “Please no hellfire, I like my house. Maybe we should talk about roommate rules.”

Yuta snorted. “Okay?”

There wasn’t a ton of space in his apartment, though it was a two-bedroom, so Mark just indicated the various rooms instead of giving a proper tour. “That room’s been empty for a while,” Mark gestured to the guest room, “because I never get visitors, so it can be yours. I don’t know if you have physical needs the way humans do?” he pointed out the kitchen and the bathroom. “As long as I’m not in either of those and as long as nothing gets burned or broken, feel free to use them?”

Yuta shook his head. “The attempt is appreciated, but I won’t be needing either.” He eyed Mark. “I get fed in other ways.”

So he was right after all? Mark’s ears burned. He shook himself and moved on. “Like I said earlier, then, you can pretty much do whatever you want as long as it’s within the bounds of our deal and doesn’t end up breaking anything. So, no hellfire please, but if you want to change the guest room that’s up to you.”

Yuta gave him an inscrutable look. “That’s thoughtful of you.”

“Is it?” Mark fidgeted. “I think I have reasonable standards for a roommate.”

“Oh, is that what I am now?” Yuta laughed.

“You’re living in my guest room for the next year, so yeah? Basically.”

“Interesting.” Yuta dropped into Mark’s favorite armchair. “Let’s talk about dark magic a little before you pass out.”

“Me?” Mark leaned against one of the couch arms.

“Isn’t it late for you humans? And you’ve worked hard, getting me here.” Yuta settled back into the armchair. “I don’t need to know much for now, anyway. I’m just wondering if you have a specialty in mind for when you actually get to use your magic.”

“Oh.” Mark cocked his head. “I’m not sure. My parents have never let me be too exposed to dark magic, so I’m not even sure I know everything that’s out there.” He’d liked the grimoire with Yuta’s summoning array, but there had also been that book of curses … “Curses are cool. Not casting them!” he held out both hands. “I don’t mean I want to curse people. But I’ve always thought curse-breaking sounded really cool.”

Yuta nodded. “We can start there, then.” He grinned. “Luckily for you, I’m pretty familiar with curses. This’ll be fun, I think.”

Mark yawned. Maybe Yuta was right. “So I picked well, then?”

“That you did.” Yuta sprang out of the armchair. Somehow he landed within inches of Mark despite the armchair being halfway across the room. His eyes gleamed too bright for the dim lighting. “We’re going to have so much fun.” He kissed Mark again, brief enough to send just a flash of heat through Mark before he pulled back. He swayed forward, chasing Yuta’s mouth. He didn’t have to go far before they were kissing again. He couldn’t have said how long it lasted, just that it seemed like forever and yet no time at all before Mark yawned again.

Yuta laughed. “Thanks for trying, witchling, but you’re about to fall asleep standing up.” He nudged Mark toward his bedroom. “Sleep. I can entertain myself just fine for a few hours.”

Mark yawned again, nodded. “Good night.”

“Good night.”

Mark pondered that word choice as he stumbled through his bedtime routine. Did ‘entertain himself’ mean that Yuta wouldn’t be bored, or did he mean the kissing? Mark really should have asked what kind of demon Yuta was before they sealed their contract—not that it mattered for the purposes of the deal, but … well, an incubus would have to feed, wouldn’t he? Was that what the kissing was about?

He could think about it later. Mark crawled into bed and passed out.

***

Mark’s alarm pulled him from the deepest sleep he’d had in weeks. He groaned and poked at his phone until it stopped singing to him. He buried his face in his pillow. Why did he feel so different? Nothing usually changed the morning after All Hallows’ Eve. It took longer than he would have liked for his brain to remind him just how different last night was.

Mark shot out of bed and almost wrenched his knee. He needed to see some proof that that hadn’t all been a dream. He changed his clothes more slowly and made his way into the living room. The front area was empty. Mark went to the guest room—Yuta’s room, now. He would have knocked, but the door stood ajar. Mark peered in. It looked like the bed had been used and made again—Mark kept hospital corners on the sheets, but Yuta must have laid the top sheets out before he left. But he must have left because Mark certainly couldn’t see him.

Had he left for real? No. Mark took a deep breath. No, that couldn’t be true because Mark could still feel him. The magic they’d enacted last night had had time to settle while Mark slept; he could definitely sense a tether pulling out from that spot under his heart. He touched the back of his neck. Yuta’s mark tingled whenever anything brushed it, but especially with Mark’s fingers. They were still bound. Mark ran through what he’d been told about familiar bonds, both by his parents and by his friends. Donghyuck and Jaemin were particularly talkative. They said a familiar didn’t have to stay close to their witch—which was why those two often came to bother Mark and his friends at school even though they didn’t need to take any classes—but that if the witch needed them, a tug on the bond would bring them back. Mark closed his eyes.

It felt like he could do it. He touched the bond, glowing white and red behind his eyes like Yuta’s hair, and it felt like he could just pull on it. Should he? Mark shook his head. Whatever Yuta was doing, he’d promised to keep within the bounds of their agreement. He wasn’t a prisoner or a servant. If he was a partner, Mark should treat him that way. Mark dropped his hand from his neck and went to find something to eat.

Yuta hadn’t returned by the time he set out for school, so he left a sticky note on the door just in case. Hopefully he would see it. The university wasn’t too far from the coven’s property, so he biked over.

Luckily, none of his classes had assignments due. Mark took notes out of sheer habit and tried not to worry too much about where Yuta had gone or what he could be doing. Jeno caught his eye several times during their one class together, but Mark just shook his head. In the back of his head, it felt like he kept a finger on that bond, waiting to see if something would happen. Nothing did. By the time his morning classes finished, Mark had no real answers and an insistent Jeno dragging him to lunch.

“What is going on with you?” Jeno demanded when they’d arrived at the usual spot, a long park table half-surrounded by trees on one side and a low concrete wall on the other. They were still the only ones there, so Mark didn’t have to worry about the wrong person overhearing. If only he knew what to say. “You disappeared right after the gathering last night, you weren’t at your house, and you look freaked out.”

Mark shrugged. “I wanted to try something, is all. I’m fine, really, just … thinking.”

Jeno gave him a weird look, but Mark nodded to where Noah and Renjun were coming toward them. He wasn’t going to talk about anything in front of a non-witch, even if he’d planned to talk about Yuta—which. Well. He hadn’t really thought any of this out, but he’d rather avoid the conversation at all until he saw Yuta again. Jeno sighed. He shut up and sat at their table. Mark said hi to his friends as he sat kitty-corner from Jeno. Renjun had been in the middle of a story about his last class, which he restarted for Mark and Jeno, that lasted long enough for Mark to get out his lunch. Then Yukhei dragged Hendery over and demanded to know what they’d been talking about and Renjun had to start over. Mark loved his friends.

Noah glanced at Mark as he pulled a McDonald’s bag from his backpack. “Are you okay?”

“Why does everyone keep asking me that?” Mark groaned. “I’m fine. I was up a little late last night, but I slept fine. I feel _fine_.”

“Okay, jeez.” Noah put up his hands. “We’re just concerned, calm down.”

Mark sighed. “I’m sorry. I’m just tired of being asked.”

Luckily for Mark, most of his friends didn’t talk while they ate, either. He picked at his food and tried not to yank on the bond too hard. It had been faint in his chest all day, but something was happening while he tried to eat. He didn’t know what it was. It felt stronger, tightening up by the minute, but what did that mean?

A sharp yank almost made him jump. Mark turned. A small black cat perched on the part of the wall nearest him, watching with Yuta’s deep green eyes. Mark blinked. The cat didn’t. He nudged at the magic that tied him to Yuta, gently enough that if he was wrong, Yuta could just ignore it. The cat sneezed, never looking away from Mark.

Yuta leapt to the ground and padded over to Mark. None of his friends seemed to notice the cat climbing into his lap. He must have cast a glamor over the larger animal form to look innocuous. Smart.

“No Donghyuck and Jaemin today?” Noah picked at his fries.

Jeno shrugged. “They’re probably busy.” More likely, Johnny and Jungwoo were busy preparing for the solstice.

“Since the lucky bastards don’t go to school here,” Renjun muttered.

Mark blinked. “Are you still that mad about class?”

Renjun sniffed. “I think I deserve to be.” He eyed Mark. “And what about you, then? Where’d you disappear to last night? I think going missing from family dinner is a good story. I gave you mine, gimme yours.”

Mark glanced at Noah. He seemed preoccupied with whatever he was reading. “I made a friend last night.” Hopefully whatever he came up with would be vague enough to slip by Noah while answering enough questions that his friends wouldn’t pester him later. “An unexpected one.”

“Oh?” Hendery smirked. “Where did you go to make this unexpected friend?”

Mark squirmed. Yuta stretched in his lap. When he settled, his tail poked above the table. Mark wasn’t sure if that was on purpose, and he wasn’t sure if he would have had the nerve to ask if they were alone.

Jeno pointed. “What was that?”

“Hm?”

“There’s—is that a cat in your lap?” Yukhei leaned over the table. “It is! Did you pick up a stray?”

Yuta bristled. Mark pet his head quickly. The kitten’s fur was even softer than the panther’s. “He’s not a stray.”

“No? Then—” Jeno cut off abruptly, wincing. Renjun raised a brow. Noah cocked his head. Jeno nodded. Mark breathed and deliberately did not thank his parents for sending him to a mundane school, where his normal friends kept his witch friends from being able to ask too many questions.

“Ah.” Renjun grinned. “So tell us about this friend, then.”

“Right. Well.” Mark did his best to explain away a demonic summoning as a walk near the woods and a chance encounter. His witch friends didn’t seem to buy it, but they couldn’t question him in front of Noah. Noah—Mark wasn’t sure what to make of the way he watched the rest of them, but he didn’t ask any more questions. With that taken care of, and Yuta there, Mark managed to finish the rest of his lunch. Yuta hopped off his lap before Mark had even finished gathering his trash. His tail swayed slightly as he trotted off into the trees.

The rest of the day was better now that Mark at least knew Yuta hadn’t decided to run out on him or something. By the time he and Yukhei were walking back to their housing block, Mark barely felt tense. It made Yukhei trying to check in with him even sweeter. 

“That cat,” Yukhei started. “You didn’t want Noah to notice, right. Is that cat your familiar? Is that what you were doing last night?” He looked worried. “Did it go okay?”

Mark had to grin. “Don’t worry about me. I think I’ve found someone who suits me well.”

“That’s good.” Yukhei stretched. “As long as you’re not worried, I’ll let the others know they don’t have to pester you.”

“That would be good, yeah. Thanks, man.”

“Of course.” Yukhei punched him gently in the shoulder, then turned the corner to head to his own house. Mark turned up the driveway to his apartment building. Everything looked the same as it had yesterday, but he buzzed as he climbed the stairs to his apartment. There was something else, too—they hadn’t tested any of the familiar bond features, but Mark thought it might be Yuta’s presence, warmer the closer he got.

Yuta perched on Mark’s couch, watching TV with his head cocked to one side. He glanced over when Mark got close enough. “This is weird.”

“What is? The show?” He had some news program on, so that would explain the weirdness.

Yuta shook his head. “Just the whole thing. This is what you humans do for entertainment?”

“Sometimes.” Mark sat at the other end of the couch. “We do have other things we can do. This program is more for information than entertainment, though.” Mark flipped through the channels quickly, but shut it off when he didn’t find anything interesting.

“Right.” Yuta rubbed his hands together. “Let’s get started then. I’m assuming you don’t know any dark magic at all?”

Mark nodded. “I know some theoretical stuff, and obviously I’m familiar with arrays generally because I managed to summon you, but I’ve never actually had the chance to do spells before last night.”

Yuta grinned. “We’ll start small then. I’m assuming once everyone knows what you are, I won’t have to be the only one teaching you.”

“I would hope so.” Mark winced. “It’s going to be a mess, isn’t it? Going from one almost full specialty to practically nothing in the other. They’d have to get me a teacher or I’d just embarrass them.”

Yuta nodded sagely. “We’ll focus on the basics, then, and find something flashy that you can do for the big initiation spectacle.”

“Cool.”

“So.” Yuta twisted to sit facing him. “Tell me what you know about dark magic.”

“Um … not much?”

He waved a hand. “Yeah, but specifically. What do they tell you it is? How does it differ from other kinds of magic?” He wrinkled his nose. “You said your parents are light witches, which I think is a stupid name. What do they tell you the fundamental difference is between light and dark magic? I need to know where you’re coming from.”

“Right.” Mark drew a knee up to his chest. He put Yuta’s questions in a more logical order for himself. “Light magic is—light, really. It’s pure energy and cleansing and focus. Dark magic is the antithesis of light magic. Other magics aren’t really related, that I’ve heard? Like, healing’s considered a lighter magic but it’s not light magic even though healers might get called “light witches” with the rest of them.” He wrinkled his nose. “I always thought that was weird. Dark magic—my parents like to make it sound like dark magic and black magic are the same thing, but I know they’re not or we wouldn’t have dark witches in the coven.”

Yuta nodded.

“Black magic is—it’s hurting people, trying to control them, killing things. It’s harmful. Dark magic …” He remembered the way it had felt to summon Yuta. “Dark magic is, as far as I understand, also pure energy, but the opposite kind from light magic. It’s shadows and darkness and death, but the natural kind?”

“Good.” Yuta grinned. “I was worried your family hadn’t given you correct information. That’s all correct, basically. I’m not a witch, of course, but I’ve known enough of them to get a feel for different kinds of magic. You hit it very well—light and dark magic are opposites, but naturally so.” He waved at himself. “Summoning demons isn’t technically any kind of magic, though I think a lot of people would like to call it black magic, so much as a grey area.” His grin grew teeth. “Summoning isn’t witch magic, you see. It’s mine, and I am far vaster than a witch’s silly classifications of magic.”

He looked wild, yet at home in Mark’s mundane apartment. Mark nodded.

“Curses, though, those can go either way. You’re right about black magic, too—that’s only harmful—but curses are just a kind of spell. They don’t have to be only harmful. If you want to be a cursebreaker, I’m sure we’ll be able to find someone to teach you, but you’ll learn how to cast curses, too. Honestly, most dark witch spells I’ve seen have worked better when they’re curses.”

That was … something to think about later. His parents definitely hadn’t had that opinion. Mark squinted at Yuta. “Are you sure you ‘don’t know that much about witch magic’?”

Yuta snorted. “You’re not my first witch, witchling. Just the first to want to keep me.”

Mark blinked a few times. “I don’t really see how that’s possible.”

Was Yuta blushing? “Anyway. I can’t teach you how magic works, per se, but if you have spells on-hand or if you know what you want to do, I can at least tell you what it should look like.” He cocked his head. “I think the longer we’re bound, the better I’ll know your magic, which might make it easier to help. For now, I think we can just start with something simple.”

“Something simple.”

Yuta nodded. “Have you ever wanted to call down darkness?” His green eyes glinted with something Mark couldn’t quite place.

Mark straightened. “Have I ever.”

“Well.” Yuta’s grin turned unholy, calling Mark to match it. “Let’s get started, then.”

***

Mark paced from his bedroom door to the front door and back again. After the fifth time, Yuta stepped in front of him. Mark stumbled back.

“What are you doing?” Yuta tapped the side of his head. “Aren’t you just having dinner with your parents?”

“Yeah.” Mark groaned. “My parents are—uh—stressful on a good day. I’m just.” He wriggled. “I don’t know.”

He couldn’t read the look on Yuta’s face. “Why is it stressful?”

“Well.” Mark dropped to sit on the arm of his couch. “They just want really different things from me than I want. And I can’t let them know about that—about this,” he waved between them, “or they’ll try to stop me. It’s always been like that. They have all these expectations and I better not dare to disappoint. It’s just. A lot.”

Yuta leaned against the back of the couch. It put their faces only a couple of inches apart. Mark made himself look away from Yuta’s mouth. Now was really not the time for that particular crisis. “Would you feel better if I came?”

“Huh?”

He cocked his head. “I wasn’t going to come because of your ‘no one can know about my demon’ plan. But if I go as a cat, your parents won’t be able to tell what I am. Would it be better if you weren’t alone?”

Mark blinked. “I—I don’t know, actually. No one’s ever come with me.” No one had ever offered, even. His friends had stayed for dinner when he was younger, but they’d never offered to do it as support or a buffer. Certainly not since he’d moved out of his parents’ house. “Actually, yeah. I think that—that would be really good, actually. Thanks.” What was this weird feeling? He was probably just thankful. Right. 

Yuta smirked and pushed himself upright. “Of course. This is going to be so much fun.”

“Please,” Mark begged as they left the apartment. “Please don’t cause chaos in my parents’ house. I’d like to survive the evening.”

Yuta was still smiling wickedly as he shifted into the panther. Mark really hoped that didn’t mean anything.

It still felt a little surreal to walk through the community with Yuta the panther prowling at his side. At least when people stared, he knew it was real.

His mother opened the door and stared. Then she stared some more. Yuta sat and stared back. Mark tried not to fidget.

“Who is this?” her voice was cold, even colder than he was used to. Mark winced.

“This is my familiar, Yuta. He can be smaller to be inside the house, though, right?” Mark set his palm on Yuta’s head. Yuta rolled an eye toward him. Mark raised his eyebrows and thought please as hard as he could. Yuta seemed to sigh before he shrunk himself to the smaller black cat. Mark scooped him up. “I went out on All Hallows’ Eve and found him.”

His mother stared at them both some more. “Dinner’s on the table,” she said finally. “Your father’s waiting.”

Wasn’t he always. Mark scurried past her as Yuta hooked claws into his shirt to climb onto his shoulder. Mark really hoped Yuta wasn’t having a staring contest with his mother, but he didn’t want to turn and check. The living room was immaculate as usual, though Mark barely looked as he passed through it. His father sat at the head of the table in front of the array of dishes his mother always laid out early. Mark bowed. He always came on time, but between the seats and the food his parents always managed to make him feel late. He hated it.

“Come sit. What is that?” His father pointed at Yuta. “Don’t tell me you got a pet.”

As though that would be such a bad thing. Mark shook his head. “I got a familiar, actually. On All Hallows’ Eve.” He took his seat at the other end of the table.

His father frowned as his mother came back into the room. “A black cat? Really?”

“It’s quite unusual,” his mother murmured. “At least in the family.”

Mark bit his tongue on the words he wanted to say. They wouldn’t do any good. Yuta chose that moment to slide down Mark’s shirt into his lap. At least he didn’t seem bothered. “I’m aware, but I found a spirit who is compatible with me, in plenty of time to see my other responsibilities through. I’m sorry you don’t like it, but it’s done.”

The words fell like stones into the cool air of the dining room. Mark rarely bothered speaking back to his parents anymore, but surely this was important enough to try. His parents looked at each other. His mother thawed first. “That’s not what we meant, Minhyung. It’s just odd, is all. I don’t think we have records of any of your ancestors having a cat at all.”

“Let alone a black one,” his father rumbled. His mother put a hand over his gently. He sighed.

At least they couldn’t politely ask what kind of spirit Yuta was. All Mark had to do was keep his mouth shut, which he did while his mother served out the food. That gave him a decent distraction as well.

Until the food was gone, anyway. Until his mother asked about his plans for the initiation ceremony. His father grunted. “It’s not long, now. You’d best have a plan. You’ll be the first up, you’ll have to set an example.” 

Mark bit back a groan. Yuta was a comforting weight in his lap as he pushed away his plate slightly. “It’s two months from now. I’m working on a plan, but I have plenty of time to practice. Do we have to talk about it every time I come over?”

“We just want to make sure you’re taking this seriously.” His father pushed away his empty plate as well. “You’ll be up first, you have to set a good example.”

Mark took a deep breath. He pushed away his empty plate. Except for Yuta’s warmth, the room was as cold as he felt. Yelling about how he didn’t even want to be first, didn’t want to be the heir, how unfair a system that set him up to inherit when he’d never even been asked was, wouldn’t do anything. “I’m aware, father. I will do my best.” And he would. “Could we talk about something else?”

They did oblige him in that. They glanced at Yuta every chance they got, but his mother didn’t object to Yuta following him into the kitchen and sniffing at the plates that Mark washed in the sink. His father didn’t ask about initiation anymore, which was good because Mark wasn’t sure how much more lying he could stand to do, not to his parents, not when his gut already felt like a Gordian knot. He sighed when he was safely out of the house.

“Thank you,” he whispered to Yuta. “I’m glad you came with me.”

Yuta purred. He didn’t change shape until they were inside Mark’s apartment, letting Mark carry him close to his chest all the way home.

***

Yuta was a better teacher than Mark’s parents. That didn’t stop Mark from wanting to wipe the smirk off his face from where they sat in Mark’s workroom. Mark set down his book calmly instead. “What do you mean?”

“I mean,” Yuta drawled, “that if you’re going to make a splash at this initiation, you should go all out.”

“That’s a nice sentiment but I don’t know what it has to do with these spells.” Mark flipped through the book. He’d managed to uncover a basic primer of dark magic at the local coven library. Most of the spells were variants of ones he’d already learned that he took to quickly. There was a spell to call down darkness, which sounded cool, but Mark wasn’t sure how obvious that would be. He paused on a page about smoke.

Yuta peered over his shoulder. “Oh, there’s a start.”

“Smoke?”

“Yeah.” Yuta reached to tap the page. Mark held still. He should not be affected by Yuta’s arm being that close to him. He should not. “Smoke can be very effective as a scare tactic. I should know. This wouldn’t be the only thing you do, but it’s simple enough to start with and between that and—” he paused. “No, you haven’t seen my true form, have you?’

“Uh. Haven’t I?”

Yuta shook his head, the white side of his hair brushing Mark’s cheek. “This is my human approximation. I have an idea. You cast this spell, I’ll shift out of the panther form into my true form—which is pretty clearly demonic—and then we’ll figure out something else you can do to make it even more obvious while you walk through that forest.”

Mark nodded. “That sounds good.” He bit his lip. “Can I see your true form?”

Yuta straightened and smirked down at him. It was not fair that he could look so attractive just looking at Mark. “I think I’ll save it for the day of, give you a little surprise.” His pupils dilated, black eating up the green. His fingers tightened on the wood of the table.

Mark blinked. “Okay?”

Yuta blinked. Eyes back to normal, he patted Mark’s cheek and cooed. “You’re so cute.”

“I am?”

“Yes.” Yuta kissed him, barely more than a brush of lips, before he took the book and stepped back. “Now, this spell doesn’t look too hard.” He read the spell instructions out loud, commenting as he went.

Mark took a second just to breathe. He could not afford the distraction right now. If Yuta needed something more, surely he would say. Until then, it wasn’t really Mark’s business and he didn’t really want to think about it any more deeply. “Okay. What do I do first, again?”

Yuta told him. Mark closed his eyes as he followed the instructions. Yuta would make him do it until he didn’t have to close his eyes to cast the spell, but closing his eyes really did help him concentrate at first. He recited the spell, trying to picture something more than the smoke from a wood fire.

Something light drifted from his fingertips. When Mark opened his eyes, he found a cloud of black smoke spilling over his palm. It didn’t look like smoke he’d seen from fires, dark and grimy. This was glossy, like the smoke they pretended was real on movie screens. It was pretty. Yuta grinned over the book.

“Very good, Markie. You really are a natural at this.”

Mark’s face burned. “Why would you call me that?”

“What, Markie?” Yuta shrugged. “It’s cute. You’re cute. It seemed to fit. Should I not?”

The face he made was just unfair. Mark sputtered. The smoke slipped away from his hand and slipped away to wisps. “I—that’s not what I meant.”

“Hmm. You’re going to have to practice again.” Yuta set the book on a side table and came closer. “Am I distracting you?”

“I—maybe I’m just embarrassed.”

“Well, that won’t do. Imagine if you were facing someone who could embarrass you? You wouldn’t want to be caught flat-footed.” Yuta’s expression went wicked. “We should correct this.”

Mark groaned.

Yuta made him practice the spell five more times, getting more embarrassing with the nicknames and looks every time. The only reason they weren’t late to the gathering was because Mark caught the time on the wall clock and almost shoved Yuta out of the room. Yuta thought it was hilarious, which at least made it easier to get him out of the apartment. He kept close to Mark in his panther form, practically preening with all the stares the other witches sent their way.

It was surreal, like almost everything else these days, to walk into the gathering with Yuta prowling at his side. The main room was large enough for their sizable coven to keep their familiars as animals or humans. Arches adorned every door and window—of which there were many—in gold gilt. Long tables laden with food and a series of chairs lined the walls so people could socialize. They’d even lit the chandelier. Mark hated it. He couldn’t see any of his friends. He _could_ see his parents, holding court at the other end of the room. He turned into the nearest clump of people before one of them could call him over.

Unfortunately, he ran right into a group of his parents’ friends. Sooyoung, another Council member, turned from whatever conversation she had been having and wrinkled her nose. “What is that?”

Mark bit his tongue. “I’m sorry?”

She gestured toward Yuta with her glass. “Your companion?”

“My _familiar_ is named Yuta.” He tried not to grip the fur at the back of Yuta’s neck too hard. He didn’t know if a panther would notice, but it felt like it would be rude. He wished he could be rude to Sooyoung, but until the Solstice he couldn’t afford to upset anyone. “If that’s what you were asking, ma’am.”

“Hm.” She pursed her lips. “It’ll do. You didn’t take after your parents as much as we expected.”

Yes, that was the whole point. Mark made sure to blink at her innocently. “I’m sorry?”

She waved a hand. “Oh, nothing. It’s just surprising. What kind of cat is he?”

 _I’m right here._ The words growled right into his head. _Can she not address me directly? Is that a thing here?_

Mark blinked. “A panther.” That had definitely been Yuta’s voice. How had he done that? A little tug came on the tie just under his heart. Mark followed it until he hit what felt like a partly-open door. _Hello?_

 _Hi, witchling._ Sooyoung kept talking, something about his parents and his future. Mark did his best to pretend he was listening.

 _Huh. So_ now _you don’t know about witch stuff?_ Really, it wasn’t fair for Yuta to know so much; had he been summoned by witches before for … other reasons … and just picked up some things?

Yuta sniffed. _I’m a demon. I’m not supposed to know these things. So?_

 _No, she can. She’s being rude on purpose._ Mark ground his teeth while Sooyoung droned on. _And I can’t call her out on it or she’ll take it the absolute wrong way and probably get my parents involved._

 _Well, we wouldn’t want that._ Something warm flowed through the bond. _She’s about to ask you a question about your studies._

 _Thanks._ Mark answered the question, and several after it, while Yuta sat very politely and made absolutely scathing comments in his mind.

They kept up the same routine when Sooyoung moved on and left him with another of her friends. And another. And another. Finally, after Hecate-didn’t-even-know how many people had come by and made comments about his appearance, his education, and his familiar, Yuta started growling, so softly that Mark was probably the only one to actually hear it. The rest of the party could sense something wrong, though. They cleared out.

Mark sighed. “Oh, thank you.”

It felt like Yuta smirked, even though his cat face didn’t quite support that much facial movement. Anytime, really.

Mark petted his head in further thanks. They wandered off to find his friends before anyone else could stop him. Fortunately or unfortunately, most of his friends had already escaped the party, but Renjun’s parents had made him stay, and apparently Donghyuck found that entertaining—or Johnny had made some kind of deal to keep him in the building. The four of them banded together to survive the evening. By the end, Mark’s feet were dragging. He yawned as Yuta nudged him out of the gathering.

_Markie needs his rest._

Mark groaned at the name, but he didn’t fight the facts. He said his goodbyes as quickly as possible and let Yuta nudge him into an escape. Maybe he could convince Yuta to stay like this once they were home, too, and he could take a nap on the soft fur.

***

Mark was doing his best to summon a darker ball of light based on Yuta’s advice when Hendery stormed into his apartment. Yuta, who had been leaning over Mark’s shoulder in a very distracting manner, shifted back into cat form almost before Mark registered that something had happened. He waved his hands through the smoky remains of his attempts, turning to face Hendery.

Or, he tried to face Hendery. His friend seemed more interested in pacing up and down the open space in Mark’s living room. And not talking.

“Are you good? Did something happen?” Mark took the opportunity to shut the book he and Yuta had been working from. Yuta, too big in his usual panther form to sit on Mark, laid his head in Mark’s lap anyway. The weight was nice. Mark scratched behind one of his ears.

Hendery didn’t seem to notice anything. “No, I—sorry, I should have knocked before I came in. Or really, I should have waited for you to say I could come in.” He made a sad face at Mark.

Mark raised an eyebrow. “I mean, it would have been appreciated, but I’ve been friends with Donghyuck for almost five years, so it’s not like I’m not used to it. What’s up?” Hendery wasn’t usually one of the friends who barged in places, it was true.

Hendery looped around Mark’s couch before heading for the kitchen space again. “Nothing happened, really, I just …” He made an unhappy noise. “Initiation is soon.”

“Yes.”

“Like, really soon. Two weeks-soon. And I’m the only one without a familiar.” He glanced at Yuta. “I can’t go through initiation alone, Mark. I really can’t. All Hallow’s Eve wasn’t late, really, but you were the last one to find one so I just …”

“Oh, you want advice?” Mark held back the nervous laughter that wanted to come out. Most of his friends were used to him doing that, but he didn’t want to risk upsetting Hendery any more. “I don’t know if I have any, really. I just … followed my instincts?”

Which wasn’t really a lie. Yuta snorted. Mark pinched his ear gently—not that it would do much through the layers of fur and muscle. He had followed his instincts in keeping the grimoire.

 _Sure, but that’s not exactly a comprehensive answer._ At least Yuta sounded amused.

Hendery threw up his hands. “That’s what I’ve been trying to do.”

“Look.” Mark pet Yuta’s head and neck. “You’re not finding anything in town, right? If your familiar were around you would have run into them. I had to go into the forest to find Yuta. Maybe your familiar is just a little further away?”

Hendery—stopped. Turned. Cocked his head. “That’s right. You went out to the forest.”

“Yes?”

“I have an idea.” Hendery rushed for the door. “Thanks, Mark! Good luck with whatever it was you were working on.”

“Thanks?” Mark called, but Hendery was already gone.

Yuta shifted back without moving. His human head rested on Mark’s knee, lighter than the panther head but somehow heavier. He grinned up at Mark. Oh, no. Mark was not about to start something—if Yuta had something more to start—during practice time. Mark shoved at Yuta’s shoulder. Yuta allowed himself to be pushed off, still grinning too knowingly for Mark’s taste. Eventually, he stood. “That was interesting.”

“I’m glad you were amused. I’m still lost.”

Yuta shrugged. “You know your friend better than I do. I just thought it was amusing. You want to get back to the light?”

“I guess.” Mark swiveled on his stool and flipped the book open to the spell again. “I’m not sure why this is still giving me trouble.”

“It’s because you’re still thinking of it like that light spell your parents taught you.” Yuta pressed against his back to peer at the book. Mark shivered at the heat coming off him. “Try this—don’t look at the book. Close your eyes and hold out your hand.”

Mark obeyed. Yuta’s hand slid down his arm until it cupped the back of Mark’s hand. “Now just breathe for a bit.” He did. Yuta was pressed against him from the waist up, almost cradling him on one side; Mark tried to push that away and also not think about the spell.

“Now,” Yuta said after a while. “Think about sunsets. The moon. Candles, lamps, glowing eyes—a smoking wood fire, I don’t care.”

Mark thought about Yuta’s eyes, glowing green in the dark. He couldn’t help himself. Human or cat, those eyes always gleamed with a little more light than should be possible. They were so pretty. Yuta had mentioned smoke—he remembered the way Yuta had looked at him when he’d managed to summon smoke, once even close to Yuta’s face. His eyes hadn’t dimmed a bit through the glossy cloud that had surrounded his face.

“There you go,” Yuta’s voice by his ear jolted him out of wherever he’d been. “Look.”

Mark blinked. A ball of soft green light hovered over his palm. Like before, little smoky wisps shivered out of it every once in a while, but they didn’t overtake it the way his first attempts had failed, or disappear like the one time he’d accidentally cast the other spell. “I did it?”

“You did it.” Yuta’s voice was so warm. “See? You just have to think about something natural. That other spell is all about purity and creating light. This is natural light. Just think about whatever you thought about this time.”

Mark tried to shove down a blush. Luckily, Yuta didn’t ask what he’d thought of. “Thanks.” He let the light disperse.

Yuta stayed draped over his back. “You don’t seem as worried about the solstice.”

“Huh?”

He waved. “Your friend was all freaked out because it’s in two weeks and I know you were stressed about it before, but you seem pretty calm now.”

“Oh.” Mark tapped the table. “I guess I just feel ready. Hendery’s freaking out over the familiar thing, which hasn’t been an issue for me,” he poked Yuta’s arm, “and we’ve got our routine down, I think.”

“Good.” Yuta’s head leaned against Mark’s. “I’m glad. We wouldn’t want all that hard work to go to waste, would we?”

Mark snorted. “Oh, thanks.”

“No, really, imagine if you did all this work setting up your plan and then stressed yourself out for the last two weeks anyway.” He couldn’t see it, but Yuta had to be smirking. “Although, if you _were,_ I’m sure I could figure out some way to help.”

“You—” Mark’s face burned.

Yuta laughed. “Don’t worry.” He kissed the side of Mark’s head, so light Mark barely felt it through his hair. “Markie should only have things he wants. You’re my favorite witchling, after all.”

The word hit him with the force of a lightning bolt. Mark turned in Yuta’s arms, twisting until he could wrap himself around Yuta in return and crash their mouths together. Yuta made a surprised noise that turned into a hum as he pulled him closer. Mark ran his tongue along Yuta’s lower lip, then sucked it into his mouth. Yuta seemed to like that. Mark closed his eyes and lost himself to Yuta’s mouth on his, Yuta’s hands moving over him; to figuring out where he could touch Yuta, in return. He wanted more. He never wanted to stop.

Oh. Mark pulled back, trying to get a full breath. Yuta let him, apparently used to waiting on Mark’s human lungs by now. Mark let out one of his awkward laughs. “I gotta—bathroom. I’ll be back in a minute?”

“Ah, yes, bladders. I don’t miss those.” Yuta let go of Mark and stretched. He didn’t respond to Mark’s stare, only asking, “Don’t you have to pee?”

“Yeah.” Yuta had been human before? Mark let himself wonder about that as he made his way into the bathroom and locked the door. Then he slid down it until he sat on the ground and could bury his head between his knees. Okay. Well. That had been—more than he’d expected, even though it really shouldn’t have been. If Yuta was an incubus, then he obviously needed that kind of energy to survive. It would be cruel not to—help out, right? Besides, if he couldn’t get that energy here, he’d have to go somewhere else to find it. Maybe he already had.

Mark straightened, hands clenching into fists. Why didn’t he like that? The thought made his gut churn. He eyed the toilet, but it didn’t seem to be an actual physical complaint. He just felt sick at the idea of Yuta being with someone else.

“Fuck.” Mark stood. He had to make it sound like he was doing something in here, or Yuta would ask questions. Fuck, fuck, fuck, how had he been stupid enough to get a crush on his familiar? His demon familiar who was probably only kissing him because he needed the energy. His hands shook. Mark flushed the toilet and turned on the cold water. He let his forehead rest against the edge of the sink. The cool porcelain helped a little. 

Mark closed his eyes. It wasn’t the end of the world. Yuta liked him just fine, if the way he was most of the time was any indication. They were bound together for a year and a day; he would have time to worry about feelings and consequences after initiation. All he had to do was survive the initiation ceremony and aftermath and then he’d have plenty of time to freak out. He took another deep breath, then stood and splashed some water on his face. He shut the water off. Just two more weeks. That couldn’t be too hard, right?

Mark wiped his face dry on a towel before stepping out of the bathroom. Yuta had migrated to the couch. He grinned when he spotted Mark, green eyes sparkling. 

***

Mark sat at the end of the initiates’ bench, breathing deeply with his eyes closed. Yuta’s panther form curled around his feet, spreading warmth through the rest of his body and keeping other witches away from them. Mark was so lucky in his choice of familiar. Now all he had to do was keep the nerves from overwhelming him before they called him up. This late in December, it was cold all the time but the elders had set up enough heating spells that none of them would freeze in their ritual robes. It would have been easier if he’d gone with the other Ls, like he was supposed to, but of course, his parents would never pass up a chance to show off their perfect little heir. He couldn’t wait to show them the truth. As long as he didn’t throw up.

Yuta shifted against his calves, bringing even more warmth with him. Mark opened his eyes. The bowl of the initiation stage spread in front of him, perfect green grass leading to the circle of trees that hid the priestess. Bleachers—Mark had always thought that part was ridiculous, having regular bleachers in a place like this when most witches disdained human tech—spread around the bowl, packed with witches from all parts of the coven. Mark breathed in, then out. His next breath carried the cool determination that had led him here in the first place. They wouldn’t fail.

The mistress of ceremonies called his name. Yuta uncoiled as Mark stood, a solid presence under his right palm. They stalked forward together. She waited at the edge of the green. She smiled at him. “Hi, Mark.”

“Hello, Priestess.” He bowed. Yuta just blinked green eyes at her. She blinked back.

“I’m sure you already know, but I’m supposed to tell you that your goal is to enter the green, make it through the trees, and present your magic to the priestess on the other side, who will complete the ceremony.” Electric blue eyes burned into his. “You must be very sure of the magic you use in there because there is no going back. You would have to break with this coven, find another, and re-initiate yourself in order to change it.”

Mark nodded. “I am very sure.” The last few months had made that even clearer. Yuta let out a low rumble that probably approximated a purr.

She bowed her head. “Very well. Then enter, and good luck.”

He bowed again before stalking down onto the green with Yuta. They had talked this through too many times for Mark’s nerves to make him forget. He paused a few feet away from the forest. Yuta stalked a few steps further, stretching out in front of Mark so all the watching witches could see every twitch. Mark held out his hands, palms up, and cast the smoke spell. This time he got to watch as inky black spilled from his hands, surrounding Yuta like a loving cloud. He ignored the gasps from the stands, waiting until the cloud covered Yuta’s usual height before cutting off the stream.

Something moved in the darkness. Yuta rose through the smoke like the demon everyone would now know him to be. He looked like himself, but sharper; claws, teeth, horns all in black and red, with a pure black tail coiling around from behind him. He grinned at Mark, all sin.

Mark grinned back. He gathered the shadows into a train that would follow them wherever they walked. They stalked into the forest in sync. Yuta kept a hand on his arm, heightening their connection. Mark reached out. This place had been a burial ground so many years ago that no one had thought it sacrilege to assign the initiation grounds here, but he had felt spirits lingering every time he watched this from the stands. This time, they came to his call.

One after another, spirits shimmered into view, forming up into a phalanx of the willing dead, waiting for his word. He asked them to lead him out. They nodded as one before bursting into motion too fast for his eyes to follow. Yuta either didn’t have that problem or didn’t care; he just quirked a brow at Mark and waited. “Ready?”

Power settled in his bones. “I’ve never been more ready.”

They emerged from the trees escorted by two lines of the dead. Every spirit bowed, stepping back to make a column for Mark and Yuta to pass through. He nodded back, making sure to thank them for coming at his call. They thanked him for an interesting interlude. Apparently, death was pretty boring when you couldn’t muster the energy to move on. Someone ought to work on that.

Mark bowed to the priestess as the dead dispersed behind him. Yuta allowed himself to fall back into panther form after one last grin. “I have come to be initiated.” The ritual had become rote ages ago, drilled by his parents almost before anything else.

The priestess nodded slowly. “If that is your wish, place your hand on the orb.” She held it out, still bright and almost clear where it was cupped between her palms. Mark set his right palm on top. The swirling material darkened to the inky black of the smoke Mark had summoned.

“Rise and take your place as a witch of the Lunae.” She turned to the side to allow him through.

The furthest trees from the little grove formed a high natural arch, twining around each other. They almost sang in welcome as Mark stepped through. Finally, he allowed himself to pay attention to the noise around the green. The whispers he’d expected, the faces he’d hoped for, on some of his angrier days. He couldn’t see his parents, but plenty of elders didn’t look too happy with him. He didn’t hide his smile anymore. Mark and Yuta circled the green until they found those of his friends clumped together on the waiting benches. They gaped at him. Mark couldn’t stop smiling.

“Mark?” Renjun looked between him and Yuta. “What did you do?”

“What I wanted, for once.” Mark nodded to the back, where his parents were probably fuming. “I don’t want to be like them and I knew they’d try to stop me.”

“So that’s what you meant when you said you’d gone to the forest to find a familiar.” Hendery looked more excited than Renjun, at least. Next to him, Xiaojun watched them all, nibbling on his lip with one fang—Mark still wasn’t sure how Hendery had managed to find a vampire in two weeks and talk him into signing a familiar contract, but he’d have time to ask now, wouldn’t he? “You summoned a demon.”

“He did.” Yuta leaned on Mark’s shoulder, tapping his upper arm with clawed fingers. Mark looked away rather than let himself become mesmerized. “Nice to meet you properly.”

“That’s so cool.” Yukhei grinned. Yangyang curled around his feet in wolf form the way Yuta had with Mark, white fur gleaming against the grass, but even he had looked around when they approached. “It’s nice to meet you too!”

Jeno and Jisung were quiet. Mark bit the inside of his cheek. “Are you guys upset?”

They looked at him, looked at each other, then back at him. Taeil chittered a bit on Jisung’s shoulder. Chenle didn’t seem remotely interested in the proceedings. He just waved his tails until Jeno pet his head. “No?” Jisung made it sound like a question. “Just really surprised. Congratulations.”

“Thanks.” Mark would have said more, but the noise finally got to him. Not far from his friends’ bench, the dark witches cheered, louder than any whispers. Mark bit the inside of his lip. “I think someone wants to talk to me? I’ll see you all later.”

They waved as he left.

Yuta kept up that almost-purr as they approached his new sub-coven. Mark wanted to ask how he could do that when he wasn’t even in cat form, but he didn’t dare. The sub-coven waved him closer and closer.

“Mark Lee, get over here!” Ten finally yelled. Yuta snorted. Mark broke into a jog to get over there faster. He recognized most of the witches by sight, but he’d only ever talked to Ten and Taeyong—a couple of times—so when he arrived, Ten hugged him and screamed about how surprised and proud he was for almost a minute before actually introducing him around.

“Don’t think you’re getting out of explaining yourself.” Ten poked Mark hard in the side once he was settled in the middle of the group. Yuta didn’t say anything, but Mark could practically feel the amusement and satisfaction dripping off him. Good. “I want to know everything! But I’ll give you the night off since that was so good.”

Mark laughed and couldn’t quite get himself to stop. He really should, he was sitting right in front of Lee Taemin and he didn’t need more reasons for his personal idol to wonder about him, but the giggles didn’t want to stop. Yuta ran a hand down his back. Mark shivered, but it really did help.

Eventually, his diaphragm quieted down. “Thank you.”

“Sure thing.” Ten patted his cheek. “Now hush, my kid’s going up.” It was, in fact, Hendery’s turn. Mark shut up and watched the initiations while his mind wandered and settled. All the Huangs went—Hendery (though they called out Guanheng), Renjun, Yukhei (though they called out Xuxi)—before a kid Mark had seen around a few times, Jung Sungchan. He and Jisung were school friends, Mark was pretty sure. Hendery, Yukhei, and their familiars came to join them while he cheered for them with the rest of the sub-coven, but thankfully they didn’t ask him any more questions. A couple of people he didn’t know well followed before it was Jeno’s turn. Someone in Renjun’s year—Shotaro, he was pretty sure—stepped up. By the time Jisung took his turn, Mark had settled his breathing if not his mind. He didn’t want to think about how his parents would react. He had his friends, he had a new sub-coven, he had Yuta.

Speaking of the demon, Yuta wrapped an arm around Mark’s shoulders as Jisung walked off toward where his mentor sat. “Good job, witchling.”

Mark whined even as he let himself relax into the hold. “Shut up. You said you’d stop calling me that after I was initiated.”

Yuta hummed. Mark bit his lip. Did he actually want Yuta to stop?

Yuta kissed the side of his head. Mark refused to blush, but he felt warm all over just from the little touch. Yuta pulled back just far enough to whisper in his ear. “I don’t think so. You’re my witchling, Markie, why should I call you something else?”

Mark pouted and hid his face in Yuta’s shoulder. He stayed there while his new covenmates cooed and squealed and cheered for other witches, while the initiations continued, while the mistress of ceremonies called out further instructions. He didn’t need to be anywhere else.

**Author's Note:**

> Here we are!! I warned you it was softer than the tags made it seem. Chapters 2 and 3 are in progress; I'll post them as soon as they're finished. Like I said in the beginning note, each chapter is kind of its own arc, so hopefully this doesn't feel like too much of a cliffhanger (and chapter 2 won't either). Next chapter: Mark really becomes a dark witch, some (many) reveals, and we actually get to see more of Mark's friends! 
> 
> The "graphic depictions of of violence" warning and some of the other tags will come into play in chapters 2 and 3, but they're more cautionary than anything else right now. I'll update the tags as I post. Happy Halloween!!!


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